Understanding the Target Audience for the Apple iPad

by Nick Marshall | January 27, 2010 3:51 PM | Comments

Understanding the Target Audience for the Apple iPad

Following the Apple Press Event this morning the question I’ve been asked the most is “why do I need the Apple iPad?”.  Apple’s head honcho Steve Jobs firmly believes the iPad will fill the third segment which stands square in the middle of the iPhone and MacBook.  To help understand the target audience for the iPad I found it most helpful to begin by looking at the competition.

Currently you have an eReader market heavily dominated by Amazon’s Kindle.  The Kindle is a solid performer and everyone I know who owns one is very happy with their purchase.  However, at the end of the day the Kindle is a one-dimensional device with limited format support and in my opinion competes in a micro niche.

The distinct advantage the Amazon Kindle has over the Apple iPad is the data subscription fee.  Paying $15/month for 250MB of data or $30/month for Unlimited 3G data is an attractive revenue stream for Apple, but a $180 to $360/year subscription I could live without.  What makes the iPad model attractive is the option for a WiFi-only unit or if I choose to purchase the WiFi/3G model I can use data services on a monthly basis without a contract.  The versatility, processing power and high-resolution screen make the iPad a no brainer for replacing all eReaders on the market.



When Apple decided to beef up the specs of the iPad they aligned themselves directly in the crosshairs of the Netbook.  At 1.5-pounds and 10 hours of battery life the weight-to-power ratio puts the iPad ahead of the competition in the segment.  Price-wise the $499 entry level iPad is still over 60% more expensive than the Dell Inspiron Mini and lacks many key features: multitasking, hdmi video output (external monitor), optional external dvd drive and front-facing camera (web cam).

Depending on how you use your Netbook really determines whether the iPad can replace it.  From an applications stand point the iPad has the App Store library of over 140,000 titles and a large developer base as a foundation.  On the other hand Netbooks generally run Windows or Linux and are capable of running nearly all desktop software without requiring special software versions like Apple has done with iWork or iPhoto for the iPad.

So who is the Apple iPad target audience if Netbooks still maintain several key advantages? The Apple iPad is the perfect solution for all prospective Amazon Kindle owners.  It is a device that you leave in the living room for quick access to the web, email or music without having to fire up a laptop or desktop- for all intensive purposes think of it as a supplemental device that acts as an extension of your existing laptop or desktop.

If your main computing tasks are focused around the Internet or Multimedia, the portability and multitouch of the iPad should be major factors in your decision.  With the addition of the keyboard dock the iPad could be a great tool for liberal arts students, but the lack of stylus could prove problematic for taking notes in math and science courses.

At $499 it looks like the perfect solution for bringing computing to older generations for two reasons- it is based on the iPhone OS which has proven to be simple to learn and second, it allows physical interaction through multitouch which makes interaction with a computer easy.  I would be confident in gifting the iPad to my mother who rarely uses a computer and knowing she’d be able to browse the Internet and send off Emails without hesitation.

The last clear audiences I see for the iPad are the frequent traveler or home theater guru.  Rather than taking your iPod Touch on the plane and your laptop to view movies, the iPad solves both of those tasks with battery power to last most flights and an ultra-slim and light-weight form factor.

Not having to cart around a 5 to 10lb laptop is a major asset in my eyes.  For home theater buffs, imagine browsing your digital movie collection on the iPad or using a universal remote application to control your home cinema- from the lighting to the control of your receiver and blu-ray player.  You have quick access to imdb to pull up background info on the movie or you could even use the iPad to check out the trailers before you decide on a digital download.

If you still aren’t sold on the Apple iPad think about having a 9.7-inch web connected touchscreen display in your car with the power of a navigation head unit and dvd player.  It’s an affordable carputer with multitouch, a high resolution display with amazing viewing angles and it support HD video playback.  With a wiring kit to run the iPad into your car speakers, a mounting kit and a FM radio app leads me to believe there’s a bright future for iPad car installers.

Tagged as: Apple iPad, Comparisons, iOS 5, iPad, iPad 2

Leave a Comment